Month: December 2016

Cohen the Barbarian. He’s been a legend in his own lifetime. He can remember the good old days of high adventure, when being a Hero meant one didn’t have to worry about aching backs and lawyers and civilization. But these days, he can’t always remember just where he put his teeth…So now, with his ancient (yet still trusty) sword and new walking stick in hand, Cohen gathers a group of his old — very old — friends to embark on one final quest. He’s going to climb the highest mountain of Discworld and meet the gods. It’s time the Last Hero in the world returns what the first hero stole. Trouble is, that’ll mean the end of the world, if no one stops him in time.

I love the Discworld books, they are such fun to read. With characters reoccurring throughout the series, this one has Rincewind, Carrot, Leonard De Quirm and the Librarian trying to stop Cohen from destroying the Discworld. Will they succeed? You will have to read it to find out!

I used to participant in a challenge like this at Book Journey but she didn’t host it this year so I did it on my own. Just using the books I read for review so far I have traveled to 43 States and 8 Countries Abroad. Several of my maps can be found here. The 2016 map is here. I also have a list on my blog of Books by State. I am a little behind updating those pages but hope to get caught up before this year ends.

…

Challenge – Try to read 1 book set in each of the 50 states + the District of Columbia. (51 Points). If you complete the challenge you earn 50 Bonus Points. You also can earn Bonus Points for books set in Countries around the world. 1 Bonus Point for each country. (No repeats – only 1 point can be earned for each country.)

Your books can be fiction or non-fiction and can be in any format, print, digital, audio.

So how do you decide what state a book is categorized under?

1. In a fiction read it would be the State or Country that the book spends the most time in. (Ie. If your main character is from Wisconsin but the book is all about his/her time in college in California – the books should categorize under California….)

2. Non fiction reads categorize in whatever State or Country it is about (Ie…. a book about fly fishing in Colorado is a Colorado point, and a book about women in Afghanistan is an Afghanistan point.

3. If the book goes from one state to another… go with the state that most of the time is spent.

The way you keep track is up to you. I like making the map to visualize where I have been and where I need to go but I also keep a list on Reading Challenges Page. Here is directions on how to create a map. – http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Google-Map. You do not have to just use Google Maps, you can use an map program you choose.

or just use this list

Alabama

Alaska

Arizona

Arkansas

California

Colorado

Connecticut

Delaware

District of Columbia

Florida

Georgia

Hawaii

Idaho

Illinois Indiana

Iowa

Kansas

Kentucky

Louisiana

Maine

Maryland

Massachusetts

Michigan

Minnesota

Mississippi

Missouri

Montana Nebraska

Nevada

New Hampshire

New Jersey

New Mexico

New York

North Carolina

North Dakota

Ohio

Oklahoma

Oregon

Pennsylvania Rhode Island

South Carolina

South Dakota

Tennessee

Texas

Utah

Vermont

Virginia

Washington

West Virginia

Wisconsin

Wyoming

On my list I link to the review posted on my blog but this is not a requirement. In fact you do not need to be a blogger to participate. You can keep your list anywhere.

Bloggers please grab the graphic above and post about this challenge on your blog.

A short story set just after the end of The Magpie Lord. Stephen Day and Lord Crane return to London. Neither is quite sure where their fledgling relationship is going. It seems unlikely that there can be much of a future for them, under the circumstances, with Stephen going back to work and Crane returning to China. Until they encounter an unexpected moment of magic…

A fun and sizzling interlude, which takes place between book 1 The Magpie Lord and book 2 The Case of Possession.

As always reading KJ Charles books is pure pleasure.

Several of these books can be obtained Free from KJ Charles’s website. So why not check them out.

A delectable prequel to the national bestselling Royal Spyness mysteries featuring Lady Georgiana Rannoch—thirty forth in line to the throne, and England’s poorest heiress.

At the end of her first unsuccessful season out in society, Lady Georgiana has all but given up on attracting a suitable man—until she receives an invitation to a masked Halloween ball at Broxley Manor. Georgie is uncertain why she was invited, until she learns that the royal family intends to marry her off to a foreign prince, one reputed to be mad.

When the prince, dressed as the devil, rescues her from an embarrassing situation at the ball, Georgie is surprised to find her unwanted suitor to be a dashing, charming man—especially when he pulls her aside and gives her the kiss of a lifetime. But as the time comes for the unmasking, Georgie’s rescuer vanishes and the party is thrown into chaos, making it clear that everything at Broxley Manor is not as it appears.…

This was a fun, enjoyable and funny addition to the Royal Spyness books. And you will meet several people that will turn up in the later books.

Heavy rains and strong winds slammed an uprooted tree through Steve Crowell’s roof, leaving a gaping hole to match the one in his heart. After his ex left him for a younger man, Steve’s not sure he’s ready to handle another disaster. His best friend highly recommended the contractor, but the man’s already late, and when he shows up with his music thumping, Steve isn’t impressed—until Riley steps out of his pickup truck. Personable, gorgeous Riley talks a mile a minute, which Steve finds both ridiculously endearing and terrifying. Piecing together a heart isn’t as easy as fixing a roof, but Riley might just be the right man for the job.

A heart warming story about two men who have been burned by past relationships, finding that there is life, love and trust after a burn out relationship.

‘A Confidential Problem’ is a 4,000 word scene which takes place between chapters 15 and 16 of A Seditious Affair (after Silas has gone down to Arrandene, but before the finale). It’s not standalone, and won’t make any sense if you haven’t read A Seditious Affair.

Available through submission to the author’s page newsletter.

A nice interlude while waiting for the next book in the series. With Cyprian showing Silas a different way to view things.

Death and decapitation seem to go hand in hand in the Devon village of Aller. When the first victim’s head is sent floating down the river, the village’s rural calm is shattered. Soon the corpses are multiplying and the entire community is involved in the murder hunt. While the rector, the major, the police and a journalist, desperate for the scoop of the century, chase false trails, it is left to Gervase Fen, Oxford don and amateur criminologist, to uncover the sordid truth.

This is the 10th book in the Gervase Fen mystery series, and is full of Crispin’s dry sense of humour. It has plenty of twists and turns in the plot to keep you guessing right till the end.

Another enjoyable classic mystery, that is well plotted and written.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book. Published by Bloomsbury Reader and download via NetGalley.

A grinch is spoiling the holiday cheer and causing fear in the latest from the author of Rest Ye Murdered Gentlemen…

It’s Christmastime three hundred sixty-five days a year in Rudolph, New York, and as Christmas Day approaches, shop owner Merry Wilkinson is enjoying a rare evening off at the Yuletide Inn when she runs into owners Grace and Jack Olsen. With Jack’s health failing, Merry is relieved to hear that his son Gord will be taking over the day-to-day running of the Inn.

But then Gord reveals that his new plans have no room for Christmas at the Inn, and Merry and the other shopkeepers start to fret about the effect a bland franchise hotel could have on their livelihoods.

When Gord is found stabbed to death, there’s an entire town of potential suspects—and it’s up to Merry to find whoever brought homicide home for the holidays…

Another great Christmas themed story. Enjoyed it very much. Well plotted and written, with plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing until the end.